Device for retaining the lanyard of a handgun

ABSTRACT

Device for retaining the lanyard of a handgun composed of a retaining case that is attached to an item of clothing of the bearer of the gun, the case allowing the lanyard (10) linking the gun to the bearer of the gun to enter therein so that the lanyard does not catch on surrounding objects when the bearer of the gun moves. The case is a rigid or semi-rigid housing (12) including at least one cover (22 or 28, 30), the partial opening of which is caused by the continuous and gradual exit of the lanyard under tension due to the fact that it is retained in the housing when the bearer draws his or her gun and raises his or her arm to a firing position.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to devices enabling a handgun to be attached to the weapon holder and particularly relates to a handgun lanyard retaining device.

BACKGROUND OF RELATED ART

The user of a handgun such as a pistol or a revolver, whether a police officer, soldier, security guard or sports shooter, is required to store his/her weapon for transport in a suitable holster to avoid having to permanently hold on to it. Unfortunately, as the weapon holder moves, the weapon may fall to the ground following an incident such as an altercation, an injury or clumsiness. This risk can result in the loss of the weapon, and possibly worse, the weapon could be recovered by someone with bad intentions.

In order to offset the abovementioned risk, the weapon is attached, on one side, to the weapon holder's gun belt by a lanyard secured to a loop through which the gun belt is threaded, and on the other side to the weapon's grip, which is generally located above the buttocks on the user's strong arm side, such as on the right side for a right-handed person, by a metal ring or clip.

The first lanyards were cords made of leather or textile which had to be folded or twisted in a more or less complicated manner. Furthermore, this cord must be long enough to allow the holder to shoot with an extended arm (approximately 110 cm) regardless of the shooter's morphology, and sufficiently short (approximately 25 cm), in the transport position, not to make an excessively large loop between the gun belt and the weapon and thus drag or snag onto projecting objects or furniture.

The drawback described above has thus been corrected using a type of lanyard described in U.S. patent No. 2003/0213823 and illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a spiral lanyard made of flexible material 10 which measures approximately 25 cm when relaxed, and approximately 110 cm when stretched, as is the case in FIG. 1. It no longer needs to be folded or twisted after the weapon has been used owing to its elasticity that allows it to go from a short length when the weapon is holstered to a long length when the weapon is used and its user has the arm extended in the firing position.

However, daily use of this spiral type of lanyard presents several drawbacks. On the one hand, the lanyard, connecting the gun belt to the grip of the weapon and measuring at least 25 cm by necessity, sticks out enough for it to become snagged on objects in the immediate environment such as protruding furniture located in the path along which the user is moving. The user can thus accidentally snag the lanyard on a doorknob, on motorcycle handlebars, a vehicle rear-view mirror and continue moving forward until the lanyard is stretched to its maximum length and thus either cause the object or himself to fall to the ground.

On the other hand, in the case where the user must rapidly use his/her weapon in response to an immediate threat, the slack of the lanyard is such that when he grabs his/her weapon, he also grabs a length of the lanyard, causing him to poorly draw his/her weapon and resulting in an inefficient and uncomfortable firing position.

Furthermore, the slack of the free portion of lanyard hitting the gun belt accessories is noisy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This is why the main purpose of the invention is to provide a handgun lanyard retaining device preventing the weapon from becoming snagged on objects in the immediate environment while the weapon holder is moving.

Another purpose of the invention is to provide a handgun lanyard retaining device allowing the lanyard to remain taut when the weapon holder assumes the firing position.

The main purpose of the invention is thus a handgun lanyard retaining device comprised of a retaining case secured to an article of the weapon holder's clothing, preferably the gun belt, this case allowing the lanyard connecting the weapon to the weapon holder to be held so that the lanyard does not snag on objects in the immediate environment while the weapon holder is moving. The case is a rigid or semi-rigid box comprising at least a cover, the partial opening of which is caused by the exit of said lanyard in a continuous and progressive manner and under tension, as it is retained inside the case when the holder unholsters his/her weapon and extends his/her arm to assume a firing position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF FIGURES

Other purposes, objects and characteristics of the invention will become more apparent from the following description when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 schematically represents a holder of a handgun in the firing position showing the lanyard taut at its longest length as described in the prior art;

FIG. 2 represents the case comprising the device according to the invention, which is a box into which the lanyard was placed, connecting the weapon to the weapon holder's gun belt;

FIG. 3 schematically represents a user having unholstered his/her handgun with the lanyard partially exiting its box;

FIG. 4 illustrates the lanyard retaining box comprising only one cover;

FIG. 5 illustrates the lanyard retaining box comprised of two covers side by side; and

FIG. 6 illustrates the lanyard retaining box secured to the gun belt by a loop adapted to the width of the gun belt.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In reference to FIGS. 2 and 3, the retaining device according to the invention is a retaining box which, in the preferred embodiment, is a sort of box 12 that is positioned on the gun belt 14 between the loop 16 of the lanyard secured to the gun belt and the holster 20 of the weapon 18, and into which the lanyard is inserted. The box 12 retains the most of the lanyard 10. Thus, the length of the section of lanyard between the holster 20 and the weapon 18 and the box 12, is reduced to a minimum.

When the user unholsters his/her weapon to assume the firing position, the lanyard 10 exits its box while remaining taut for as long as the holder needs to be in the firing position. Thus, FIG. 3 represents the user having removed his/her weapon 18 from the holster 20 to assume the firing position and still having his/her elbow in the low position as the arm is not yet fully extended. It can be seen that the part of the lanyard 10 that has exited the box 12 remains taut, which would not be the case with the system illustrated in FIG. 1.

An embodiment of the box 12 forming the main element of the device according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 4. The box 12 mainly comprises a cover 22, preferably rigid although it may be semi-rigid. The cover 22 is secured to the gun belt 14 by a hinge 24 (not shown) which holds it against the gun belt 14 with low force allowing the lanyard to easily exit the box while remaining taut. It should be noted that the cover 22 can be secured to the gun belt without including a hinge, the hinge effect being produced by an equivalent means such as the stiffness of the cover combined with its elasticity.

When the user unholsters his/her weapon, the coils of the lanyard easily exit the box 12 in a continuous manner, causing the cover 22 to open in the direction of the arrow 26, which allows the lanyard, which is already out, to remain taut.

After the user has used his/her weapon, he returns it to its holster 20 and returns the lanyard into the box 12 under the cover 22. This may be achieved in several ways such as, for example, by folding the lanyard in two as illustrated in FIG. 2.

A second embodiment of the device according to the invention is illustrated in FIG. 5. Here, the box 12 comprises two side-by-side covers 28 and 30, identical or otherwise, secured to the gun belt by hinges (not shown) or equivalent means which, as in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, exert a low retaining force allowing the lanyard to exit in an easy progressive manner. When the user unholsters his/her weapon, the coils of the lanyard exit the box 12 through the opening between the two covers 28 and 30 caused by the rotation of the covers 28 and 30 in the direction of the arrows 32 and 34.

It goes without saying that the lanyard retaining box may be any other means allowing the lanyard to exit with a low retaining force, for example, a tubular-shaped sheath.

FIG. 6 illustrates an embodiment in which the retaining case 12 is integral with a loop 36 that surrounds the gun belt. The loop 36 features a mobile part 38 that allows it to be adapted to gun belts of various widths.

While, in the embodiments described above, the lanyard retaining case is secured to the gun belt, it goes without saying that it may be secured to another part of the weapon holder's clothing.

It should be noted that the retaining device which forms the object of the invention may be used to retain a lanyard connected to an object other than a weapon, such as a tool or anything else. Furthermore, the lanyard may not be coiled, but made of a stretchy, elastic material for example. 

1. A handgun retaining lanyard (18) comprising a retaining case secured to an article of a weapon holder's clothing, said case allowing a lanyard (10) connecting a weapon to the weapon holder to be inserted in the case so that the lanyard does not snag on objects in the immediate environment while the weapon holder is moving, wherein said retaining case is a rigid or semi-rigid box (12) comprising at least a cover (22 or 28, 30), the partial opening of which is caused by the exit of said lanyard in a continuous and progressive manner and under tension as it is retained in said case when the holder unholsters his/her weapon and extends his/her arm to assume a firing position.
 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said box (12) is secured to the gun belt (14) of the weapon holder.
 3. The device according to claim 2, wherein said box (12) is secured to the gun belt (14) of the weapon holder by a loop (36) whose width can be modified to adapt to the width of said gun belt.
 4. The device according to claim 1, wherein said cover is formed from a single part (22) secured to said gun belt (14) by a hinge or equivalent means exerting a low retaining force allowing said lanyard (10) to easily exit said box (12).
 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein said cover is formed from two parts (28, 30) secured to said gun belt (14) by hinges or equivalent means exerting a low retaining force allowing said lanyard (10) to easily exit said box (12).
 6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said box (12) is a sheath into which said lanyard is placed when the holder is no longer using his/her weapon.
 7. The device according to claim 1, wherein said lanyard (10) is comprised of coils so as to allow the lanyard to extend from a length of approximately 25 cm to a length of approximately 110 cm. 